Valentine's Day

History

Valentine's Day is named after a Roman saint who was killed for his faith on February 14, 296 and buried in Via Flaminia. Historical evidence states that this priest did not like a law brought out by the Roman Emperor, Claudius II allegedly ordering that young men remain single. It is believed that this law was to help grow the Roman army because it was believed that married men made bad soldiers.  The priest Valentine secretly began performing marriages for the young men of Rome. The Emperor found out and had him arrested for breaking the law.

Saint Valentine's Day is associated with love and romance because it is said he fell in love with his jailer's daughter. To communicate, they used to secretly pass notes. His last note before his execution read 'from your Valentine'.

Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the first recognisable figures in history to associate it with romantic love. He introduced the tradition of courtly love and it flourished during the middle ages.  It is recorded in his poem "Parlement of Foules". Chaucer wrote this poem for the anniversary of King Richard II of England's engagement to Anne of Bohemia.

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

Traditions

Italy has always been associated with romance and love. For centuries in Italy St Valentine's Day was the traditional day to become engaged, combining the religious and the romantic parts of the festival. Also in Italy young Italians would spend the day gathered in gardens listening to romantic poetry and music.

Throughout the years, Valentine's Day has picked up some other pagan rites to add to the Christian ones. One such rite or festival is Lupercalia. Lupercalia is celebrated in February to protect villages and towns from wolves. The wolves would be forced to venture into civilisation because of severe hunger and cold.

The customs celebrating the 'Lupercalia' festival are quite odd. Young men would get stripes of animal hide and playfully whip women and chase them around town. It was a festival of fertility. Also young men would draw names of girls in their town from jars to see who they would spend the day with singing and dancing.

Since Roman times, Valentine's Day has firmly established itself around the world as a festival of love, romance and sweethearts. During Queen Victoria's reign elaborate Valentine's Day cards were introduced and it became essential in Germany to send flowers to the one you love.  

Today Valentine's day is celebrated with the exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Symbols today include the heart-shape, doves and the figure of the winged Cupid. Hand written notes are now mass produced greeting cards.  Some believe it has become a purely commercialized holiday but others really get into the mood and feel of the day.